Spider veins may appear in the form of colored small branches, webs, or thin lines on the surface of your skin. They are neither painful nor a sign of an underlying condition. However, having these interconnected veins on your skin can be unsightly. Advanced Heart & Vascular Associates boasts experts in treating spider veins in Land O Lakes. Dr. Chadda and his team of professionals have years of experience in effectively treating and permanently eliminating spider veins.
What causes spider veins to appear on your skin’s surface?
Spider veins result from unhealthy valves inside your feeder veins. Your veins control the flow of blood to your heart. The veins have one-way valves that close once blood passes through them to prevent your blood from flowing backward. When your valves become weak or damaged, the blood flowing through them struggles to find the right path and ends up pooling in your veins.
What are your risk factors for developing spider veins?
Several factors will likely increase your chances of developing this medical condition and they include:
- Age. Your valves tend to weaken over time. Additionally, the calf muscles that support your veins in the legs also weaken as you age.
- Pregnancy. The increase in blood flow and the extra pressure exerted on your leg veins can result in damaged valves.
- Genetics. You are at a potential spider veins’ victim when you have a family history of venous condition.
- Standing or sitting for long hours. Your veins work harder pumping blood to your heart when you remain in the same position for extensive periods.
- Overweight. Having extra weight puts too much pressure on your leg veins, forcing the valves to weaken.
- Vein injury or blood clot
How do you treat spider veins?
Your doctor could recommend various treatment options to help you deal with spider veins. These options include:
- Compression socks. Wearing compression socks helps exert pressure on your lower legs, thus improving blood flow in your legs. You can also use the stockings to relieve you from leg swellings and lower your risk of experiencing blood clots in your lower legs.
- Sclerotherapy. This spider vein treatment option entails injecting your affected vein. Your doctor injects your veins with a sclerosing agent, an irritant that forces your veins to stick together. When the affected veins are stuck, they prevent blood from flowing and pooling in the area. The procedure reduces swelling and forces your veins to shrink and disappear over time.
- Laser treatment. Your doctor will recommend the non-invasive laser treatment as an option to rid you of the unsightly veins if they are approximately 3mm and are closer to your skin surface. The focused and robust laser light forces the affected vein to clot and dry up.
- Endovenous laser therapy. During the procedure, your doctor will make a small incision in your affected vein before inserting a laser fiber. The fiber directly heats the spider vein, forcing it to collapse.
Whether you want to rid the veins because of cosmetic reasons or ease yourself of the discomfort that comes with the damaged veins, the professionals have a solution. For more information on varicose veins and how you can improve your appearance, contact the specialists at Advanced Heart & Vascular Associates or book an appointment today.
